Salinas River topographic map

The San Francisco Bay Area is characterized by a diverse and dynamic topography shaped by geological processes over millions of years. This region features a combination of coastal plains, steep hills, and rugged mountains, all influenced by the tectonic activity associated with the nearby San Andreas Fault…

Average elevation: 371 ft

The climate in San Diego, like most of Southern California, often varies significantly over short geographical distances, resulting in microclimates. In San Diego, this is mostly because of the city's topography (the Bay, and the numerous hills, mountains, and canyons). Frequently, particularly during the "May…

Average elevation: 187 ft

Average elevation: -3 ft

Average elevation: 12,756 ft

Average elevation: 1,627 ft

Average elevation: 2,638 ft

Average elevation: 1,709 ft

The Santa Cruz Mountains are a region of great biological diversity, encompassing cool, moist coastal ecosystems as well as warm, dry chaparral. Much of the area in the Santa Cruz mountains is considered temperate rainforest. In valleys and moist ocean-facing slopes some of the southernmost coast redwoods…

Average elevation: 755 ft

Average elevation: 2,434 ft

Average elevation: 659 ft

Average elevation: 761 ft

Average elevation: 351 ft

Groveland is a census-designated place (CDP) in Tuolumne County, California. Groveland sits at an elevation of 3,136 feet (956 m). The 2020 United States census reported Groveland's population was 540.

Average elevation: 2,946 ft

It is the fourteenth most topographically prominent peak in the contiguous United States. White Mountain Peak is one of only two fourteeners (peaks above 14,000 feet) in California that are not in the Sierra Nevada, the other being Mount Shasta at the far northern end of the state in the Cascade Range. It is…

Average elevation: 12,730 ft

The city marina is on one of three islands at a narrow point on the 13-mile-long (21 km) bay and increases in elevation slightly as it spreads north, south, and especially to the east. The city gently encroaches at least two miles (3.2 km) eastward into primarily Redwood and Douglas-fir second growth forests.…

Average elevation: 328 ft

Average elevation: 7,100 ft

Average elevation: 741 ft

Average elevation: 322 ft

Average elevation: 5,233 ft

Mount Shasta (/ˈʃæstə/ SHASS-tə; Shasta: Waka-nunee-Tuki-wuki; Karuk: Úytaahkoo) is a potentially active volcano at the southern end of the Cascade Range in Siskiyou County, California. At an elevation of 14,179 feet (4,321.8 meters), it is the second-highest peak in the Cascades and the fifth-highest in…

Average elevation: 12,195 ft

Yorkville is an unincorporated community in Mendocino County, California, United States. It is located 7.5 miles (12 km) southwest of Hopland, at an elevation of 922 feet (281 m).

Average elevation: 1,345 ft

El Dorado Hills (EDH), as defined by the 2010 census-designated place (CDP), is at the western border of El Dorado County, between the City of Folsom and the unincorporated community of Cameron Park. The northern limits of the CDP are Folsom Lake and the South Fork of the American River, where river rafters…

Average elevation: 833 ft

The area is surrounded on the southwest by the Santa Rosa Mountains, by the San Jacinto Mountains to the west, the Little San Bernardino Mountains to the east and San Gorgonio Mountain to the north. These mountains peak at around 11,000 feet (3,400 m) and tend to average between 5,000 and 7,000 feet (1,500 and…

Average elevation: 236 ft

Average elevation: 141 ft

Average elevation: 472 ft

Average elevation: 472 ft

Average elevation: 4,377 ft

Average elevation: 4,833 ft

The Berkeley Hills are bounded by the major Hayward Fault along their western base, and the minor Wildcat fault on their eastern side. The highest peaks are Grizzly Peak with an elevation of 1,754 feet (535 m) and Round Top, an extinct volcano with an elevation of 1,761 feet (537 m) and William Rust Summit at…

Average elevation: 518 ft

Average elevation: 8,379 ft

Average elevation: 75 ft

Average elevation: 9,337 ft

Comptche (Pomo: Compatche, meaning "In the valley among the hills") is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Mendocino County, California, United States. It is located 17 miles (27 km) southeast of Fort Bragg at an elevation of 187 feet (57 m). The population was 167 at the 2020…

Average elevation: 440 ft

Average elevation: 4,524 ft

Average elevation: 62 ft

Average elevation: 837 ft

Average elevation: 3,612 ft

Twain Harte is situated in Tuolumne County along Highway 108 at an elevation of 3,640 feet (1,110 m).

Average elevation: 3,684 ft

The borders of the San Francisco Bay Area are not officially delineated, and the unique development patterns influenced by the region's topography, as well as unusual commute patterns caused by the presence of three central cities and employment centers located in various suburban locales, has led to…

Average elevation: 371 ft

Average elevation: 1,001 ft

Average elevation: 673 ft

Average elevation: 141 ft

Average elevation: 148 ft

Average elevation: 12,756 ft

Average elevation: 5,607 ft

Average elevation: 3,501 ft

In the 1860s, San Franciscans began to feel the need for a spacious public park similar to Central Park, which was then taking shape in New York City. Golden Gate Park was carved out of unpromising sand and shore dunes that were known as the Outside Lands, in an unincorporated area west of San Francisco's…

Average elevation: 233 ft

The highest peaks of the crest of the coast range are located at an average distance from the coast of three and a half miles [5.6 km]. In this distance they rise to elevations of from three thousand six hundred to five thousand feet [1,100 to 1,500 m] above the sea-level. From San Carpoforo Creek to…

Average elevation: 633 ft

Average elevation: 1,234 ft

Cajon Pass (/kəˈhoʊn/; Spanish: Puerto del Cajón or Paso del Cajón) is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and the San Gabriel Mountains to the west in Southern California. Created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault, it has an elevation of 3,777 ft (1,151 m). Located in…

Average elevation: 3,835 ft

The highest peaks of the crest of the coast range are located at an average distance from the coast of three and a half miles [5.6 km]. In this distance they rise to elevations of from three thousand six hundred to five thousand feet [1,100 to 1,500 m] above the sea-level. From San Carpoforo Creek to…

Average elevation: 633 ft

The prehistoric Hog Back landslide lies in the canyon of San Antonio Creek at 4000' elevation. When the slide occurred, it dammed the river, whose depth built up until the water was released catastrophically, forming a slot canyon which now holds some of the area's few good rock climbing routes (difficulty…

Average elevation: 8,776 ft

Average elevation: 472 ft

Average elevation: 1,677 ft

According to the United States Census Bureau, Lebec has an area of 15.3 square miles (40 km2). The community, which is near Tejon Pass, lies at an elevation of 3,481 feet (1,061 m).

Average elevation: 3,812 ft

Average elevation: 276 ft

Average elevation: 295 ft

Average elevation: 3,750 ft

Average elevation: 226 ft

Average elevation: 6,617 ft

Average elevation: 12,421 ft

Average elevation: 3,740 ft

Average elevation: 2,241 ft

Average elevation: 1,686 ft

Average elevation: 879 ft

Average elevation: 5,318 ft

Average elevation: 5,512 ft

Average elevation: 4,482 ft

Average elevation: 1,407 ft

The highest point in the community is Black Mountain, which rises to an elevation of 1,500 feet (460 m).

Average elevation: 515 ft

Average elevation: 30 ft

Average elevation: 1,991 ft

Average elevation: 6,942 ft

Average elevation: 200 ft

Average elevation: 5,764 ft

Average elevation: 1,594 ft

Coarsegold is located on Highway 41 between Fresno and the southern entrance to Yosemite National Park, at an elevation of 2,218 ft (676 m). Fresno is 38 miles (61 km) to the south, and the south entrance of Yosemite is 23 miles (37 km) to the north. Nearby communities include Oakhurst 8 miles (13 km) to the…

Average elevation: 2,507 ft

Average elevation: 1,539 ft

Mono City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Mono County, California, United States. It lies north of Mono Lake at the base of the Sierra Nevada at the junction of U.S. Route 395 and California State Route 167, at an elevation of 6,768 feet (2,063 m). The ZIP Code is 93541;…

Average elevation: 6,759 ft

Average elevation: 2,680 ft

Average elevation: 72 ft

Average elevation: 59 ft

Average elevation: 115 ft

Average elevation: 315 ft

Average elevation: 2,103 ft

Average elevation: 1,965 ft

Average elevation: 427 ft

Average elevation: 292 ft

Average elevation: 410 ft

Average elevation: 6,680 ft

Average elevation: 1,207 ft

Average elevation: 1,355 ft

Average elevation: 8,373 ft

Average elevation: 1,329 ft

The mountain is also the site of the Bay Area NEXRAD weather radar. The high elevation is necessary for line of sight in the region's varied terrain, but it also limits the ability to detect storms with bases lower in the atmosphere.

Average elevation: 2,526 ft

Average elevation: 10,135 ft

Average elevation: 2,562 ft

Average elevation: 108 ft

Average elevation: 16 ft

Average elevation: 5,709 ft